A Family's Love
by CBloom2
Summary: A couple of chapters regarding the results and whether Ethan will tell anyone.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi all. Just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who reads, reviews or favourites my stories. I know I don't always say this, but I really do appreciate each and every one of you. I love that you love Cal and Ethan as much as I do and don't mind me hurting them in just about every story that I write - ha ha.**

 **Anyway, this is another little offering regarding the results, and whether Ethan will tell anyone - not sure I would say there are spoilers as I don't know how this will play out on screen, if indeed it does. You'll see what I mean when you read it.**

 **Hope you like.**

 **As always, I don't own anyone that you recognise - just dust them off to torment them a little more!**

 **A Family's Love**

"Ethan, are you alright?" he heard for the umpteenth time in the last few weeks. He sighed deeply, why did everyone ask him that? He's turned up, got on with his work, he's met the department targets - everything that he should be doing, he's doing - so why did everyone fell the need to keep checking on him? Did they know?

"I'm fine thank you," he managed through gritted teeth.

"That's good...only you seem to have it in for that pen that you're holding..." Robyn smiled at his confusion, "You keep banging it on the desk and to be honest, it's getting a bit annoying."

Ethan looked at the pen as if he hadn't seen it before, then dropped it on the table, "I'm sorry," he mumbled before taking off into cubicles.

Two minutes later, Cal and Charlie sauntered towards the desk, discussing their most recent patient, "I said that it's up to him if he tells his wife or not," Cal was telling the nurse.

Charlie chuckled, "Would love to be a fly on the wall to that conversation," he said, causing the younger man to smile.

"Hey Cal," Robyn attracted his attention, "Is Ethan ok?" she asked innocently.

"Yes, he's fine - why wouldn't he be?" he demanded sharply as his stomach somersaulted involuntary.

"He's just been a bit quiet recently - like he's not with us...I'm sorry, it's been a terrible time for you both - I should just keep my nose out," she finished in a rush, her cheeks blushing.

"You don't know the half of it..." he countered, looking stricken as he turned away, "Erm, I need some air," he told them as he strode out of the department.

"Oh I never meant to make it worse for them," Robyn cried, "I was just worried about Ethan," she insisted.

Charlie patted her arm, "Don't worry, I'm sure you haven't. It can't be easy to find your real mum, only to lose her not long after. I'll go and talk to Cal."

The older nurse found the young doctor sat on a bench in the peace garden, with his head in his hands. He sat down gently next to him and nudged him slightly, "Robyn didn't mean to upset you," he explained.

Cal wiped his face, "I know she didn't...it's just hard you know? Ethan feels guilty that he didn't acknowledge her earlier on and I'm...I'm at a loss Charlie - I don't know what to do to help him, he won't talk to me."

"He'll talk when he's ready...anyway, you'll have to talk soon won't you - you need to arrange the test...if you're both going to take it."

Cal suddenly burst into tears, shaking his head, "We already have taken it...mum wanted to know before she died."

"Ahh," was all Charlie said, even though he tensed in readiness for Cal telling him.

"She passed smiling Charlie...we were telling her a story about Ethan and Kate, who we met at the cafe - mum wanted to hear about his life..."

"Good news then I take it?" Charlie questioned, his anxiety not lifting at the stricken look on Cal's face as he shook his head.

"Oh god, he'll kill me for this, but I have to tell someone..."

"Oh Cal - has Ethan..." Charlie couldn't go on. The younger man completely broke down as he nodded his head. Charlie shuffled up closer and put his arm around the stricken doctor, "I'm sorry Cal."  
"My worst fear came true! He didn't tell mum though Charlie. He read the letter and told her he was clear - I was so relieved. Then after she passed, he showed me the letter, then he shut down - and he's been like that ever since."

"I'm sorry Cal, I really don't know what to say," Charlie felt his heart break for the two young doctors.

"Please don't tell him you know. He doesn't want anyone to know just yet," Cal pleaded.

"He won't hear it from me," the older nurse promised.

"Cal! Charlie!" Robyn trotted over to them, pretending that she hadn't seen Cal's state or that Charlie had his arm around him, "We need you. RTC on its way."

Cal wiped his eyes once more, took a deep, calming breath and made his way back into the ED.

A couple of hours later, the ED had an air of calm around it. The RTC was not as serious as first thought, so the patients had either been discharged or they were comfortable waiting for a bed.

Cal had taken a well earned break, which was just what Ethan was ready for. However, as he made his way to the staff room a panicked man burst through the doors pushing a wheelchair, "Are you a doctor?" he asked.

Ethan nodded, "Dr Ethan Hardy, what's the problem?"

"It's my brother - he's had a fall..." the older man told him as Ethan showed them through into a free cubicle.

"Ah, Charlie, have you got a few minutes to assist?" Ethan asked the older nurse as he passed him sat at the computer.

"Yes of course," he answered.

"Right then, can you tell me your name?" Ethan asked the patient.

"J...John," he stammered, causing Ethan's heart to skip a beat.

"Ok John, can you tell me where it hurts?"

"My sh...shoulder and m...my legs..."

"Did you hit your head at all?"

John started to shake his head, "You should know that he has Huntingtons...so he may not know..."

"I know w...what hurts Rich," John shot back impatiently. He then turned to Ethan, "He's a bit overprotective," he explained to the young doctor, who was turning paler by the second.

"With good reason little brother, if today is anything to go by," his exasperated brother retorted.

"I was only try...trying to m...make you some lunch," the younger man huffed.

Charlie smiled at the bickering brothers, they sounded just like two other brothers that he knew. He looked to one of them, who was frantically writing in the notes, "How old are you John?"

"Thirty five..."

Ethan nearly dropped the pen. He wasn't that much older than him and he was already starting to show symptoms - he'd thought he'd got longer before it would happen to him.

Charlie suddenly appeared by his side, "You alright? Should I get another doctor?"

Ethan spun round to face him, "Why would you do that?" he asked suspiciously.

"Only because it's not that long since your mum passed..."

"I'm perfectly fine, thank you. Right John, I'm going to examine you..." he told his patient as he glanced pointedly at Charlie, who got the hint.

"Would you mind just stepping out while the doctor examines him. We'll be just outside the curtain..."

Rich looked like he was going to argue, but his brother had other ideas, "I'll be f...fine - go and get a cuppa if you want," he told him.

"Not until I know you're ok. I'll be just outside," Rich replied, as he turned to follow Charlie.

As Ethan pulled the curtain around them, Rich jumped slightly, "How long has he had it?" Charlie asked him.

"We've known about it for about ten years - our dad had it. His symptoms started a couple of years ago..." the young man dragged in a deep breath, "I try and help but sometimes John's temper gets the better of him. It's hard to know whether you are doing the right thing or not. He pushes me away a lot of the time - tells me to get a life, but..."

Charlie heard the catch in the younger man's voice, "He's my little brother, he is my life."

Charlie felt a lump in his throat as he listened to the devoted brother, thinking about the young doctor who was treating the younger one.

A few minutes later the curtain swished open and Ethan appeared looking pale and ragged, "Ok," he breathed, "John is going to be fine," Rich exhaled with relief, "But I do want to get a CT just to check that he didn't damage his head - could you sort that Charlie?"

"I'm on it," the older nurse told him. He then turned to Rich, "You can sit with him while we arrange the scan if you like."

Rich nodded and immediately dragged a chair to his brother's side.

Ethan finished writing everything up, glancing up at the two brothers. The older one had both of John's hands in his as if he was trying to stop the shaking, or at least that's what Ethan thought.

"It's the start of it all Rich..." he heard the younger man tell his brother as a few tears began to fall.

"Hey, we don't know that," Rich told him as he gently wiped the tears away, his own voice catching.

"I think we do..." John whispered as Rich jumped up and perched on the bed, bringing his brother into a gentle embrace.

His heart pounding and his ears ringing, Ethan spun out of the cubicle and disappeared through the doors.

 **Looks like this is going to be a two shot. It kind of took on a life of its own.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Have I told you lately just how much I love this fandom. You are the best at reviewing, favouriting stories. Thank you so much. Hope I don't disappoint. Onwards...**

Charlie replaced the phone receiver down and made his way back to the cubicle, surprised to see only Rich and John there, "Hi, erm, they are ready for you now in CT so I'm going to get a porter to take you up if that's ok? Did you see where Dr Hardy went?"

Rich looked round, having not noticed that Ethan had left. He shook his head, but John spoke up, "H...he went through those doors," he told him, pointing the way.

Charlie smiled, "Thanks. It won't be much longer for you," he told them as he went in search of Max.

"Hey Max," Charlie called when he saw the young porter in conversation with Cal, "I've got a patient who needs to go for a CT. They are ready for him as soon as you can get him up there - Dr Hardy has already signed the form - cubicle three..."

Max nodded and began walking up to the cubicle. He pulled the curtain round and proceeded to wheel the bed from it.

"Hey Charlie have you seen Ethan?" Cal asked the nurse, suddenly realising that he hadn't seen his brother in a while.

"No. He was treating the young man that Max is taking to CT..." he broke off as he noticed Cal's expression change. He followed his gaze to John, who was being pushed towards the lift, followed by his brother. Cal recognised what was going on with the younger man and felt his blood run cold.

A patient, a young patient, with Huntingtons - no Ethan for a while - "Charlie, did you say that Ethan was treating him?" he asked nervously, already knowing the answer.

Charlie gasped as realisation hit him, "Yes he was - John said that he'd seen him go through those doors..."

Before he had chance to finish, Cal was striding purposefully towards the doors, pushing both open in his haste to find his brother.

Charlie hurried behind him, quietly berating himself for not getting another doctor, "Cal I'm sorry. I asked if he wanted me to get another doctor but he insisted that he was alright - and I didn't want him to realise that I knew, but in hindsight..."

"It's ok Charlie - you couldn't have known," Cal reassured him.

They made their way carefully down the desered corridor until they collided with one of the cleaning staff, "Oh thank goodness," she breathed, "There's a young man just through there in real difficulty - I couldn't get him to talk to me," she told them as she tried to get her breath back.

As Charlie thanked the woman, Cal sprinted through another set of doors, skidding to a halt when he saw his little brother slumped on the floor with his knees up to his chest rocking slightly.

"Ethan," he said quietly so as not to alarm the younger man.

When he got no response, he sat down next to him just letting his shoulder touch his brothers. He sat like that for a couple of minutes until Ethan suddenly looked at him, shock evident on his face, "Cal?" he questioned breathlessly.

"Hey, what are you doing on the floor?" his brother kept his tone light.

Ethan looked round, obviously confused, "How did I get here?" he asked no-one in particular.

Cal felt a stab of anxiety as he glanced towards Charlie, who had stayed a way back to give the brothers some space.

"You tell me. One minute you were treating a patient apparently, then you disappeared!" Cal explained, his heart skipping a beat when Ethan's expression turned slightly pained.

"John," he breathed, "My patient...he has Huntingtons and he's showing symptoms..."

"I know Ethan, I saw him going for his CT..." Cal told him sadly.

"He's only thirty five Cal - thirty five! He's not that much older than me...I thought I had longer!" Tears began to fall down his face as his breathing sped up slightly.

Cal, who had reeled when he heard how old John was, pulled himself together on hearing his brother's breathing change, he knew what that sound was, "Ethan, try to slow down your breathing mate or you'll end up having a panic attack...deep and slow, can you do that for me?"

He took hold of his hand, trying to ground the younger man. It seemed to work as Ethan's breathing returned to a more normal rythmn.

Cal stood and held a hand out, "Come on little brother, someone will notice that we're gone."

Ethan looked as if he was going to argue, but one look at Cal's concerned face made him get to his feet. Cal snaked an arm around his shoulders as he guided the younger man back towards the ED.

Ethan looked surprised to see Charlie, having not realised that the older man was even there, "Take him for a coffee or something," he advised Cal.

A few minutes later, they made their way back into the ED, "Ah, the wanderers return," they heard the unmistakable voice of the clinical lead.

"Mrs Beauchamp, I can..."

"My office now, both of you," she demanded as she flung open her door to allow them access - Charlie joined them.

"Care to explain why you both suddenly disappear from the department for twenty minutes?"

"It's my fault Mrs Beauchamp..." Ethan admitted nervously.

"It always is Dr Hardy. You seem to admit to anything to keep your brother out of trouble," she countered, staring hard at the young doctors.

Suddenly, for no apparent reason, her frustration towards the two men seemed to disappear. It was then she realised that they both looked haggared, "Are you both alright?" she enquired more gently.

"Yes," Ethan replied, far to quickly.

"No," Cal replied, his head lowered, not willing to look at her just yet.

"Cal," Ethan hissed under his breath.

Connie watched the interaction with interest - there was definitely something going on with the two of them, and if Charlie's expression was anything to go by, it was something serious.

"I know it's been a tough few weeks with your mum and everything - please know that my door is open if you need to talk and I do mean that," she told them with a slight smile on her face.

Ethan nodded, desperately trying to hold back more tears, Connie had noticed. She couldn't imagine how hard it must have been for the two young men, finding out about being adopted - finding their real mum only to find out that she had Huntingtons. Suddenly the penny dropped.

"You've had the test done haven't you?"

Seeing the outright shock and terror on their faces, Ethan's in particular, would have made Connie chuckle on any other day, but today their expressions filled her with dread.

Cal was the one to speak up, "Yes, mum wanted to know before she passed," was all he offered - but Connie knew.

"Ethan..." she pushed gently.

Ethan suddenly found the floor very interesting, but she could see the tremors running through him as he fought to control his emotions, "I have it," he whispered, "I have the gene."

Although shocked to hear the admission, Connie nodded, "I'm sorry Ethan - so very sorry..."

Suddenly Ethan hurled himself to his feet, "You're sorry, Cal's sorry - everyone's sorry - but sorry doesn't help me does it? My life will be chipped away and there's not a damn thing I can do about it!"

Cal couldn't move. He just sat and cried. He felt like his heart was being squeezed in a vice like grip hearing his brother in such pain.

Connie rose and approached Ethan, "You are right," she told him quietly, "Sorry just doesn't cut it, but why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Ethan dropped his head once more, this time in shame, "I was in denial - we both were," he replied as he glanced towards Cal, who was nibbling his lip nervously, "I didn't want anyone to know - I didn't want people constantly checking up on me, making sure I was 'alright' as if I was already on my way out," he wiped furiously at his face.

When he had calmed down a little, "How will this affect my job Mrs Beauchamp?" he asked hopefully.

"I can't see that there's a problem with your job at the moment. I won't lie Ethan, we will have to monitor you - but I promise you now that I will do everything in my power to help you stay in your job for as long as possible."

Ethan sat back down, "Thank you," he breathed.

"Can I give you one piece of advice Ethan? Tell the others - they won't mollycoddle you - they haven't got the time, but they would want to know so they can support you. You might not think it now, but they are all really fond of you and will want to help - don't push them away."

Ethan glanced at Cal, who nodded his agreement, "Ok," he sighed, "I'll tell them tonight."

Connie smiled at them, "Good - now get back to work," she ordered.

"Do you want me to treat your patient?" Cal was asking his brother as they left the office.

"No, I'm perfectly capable," Ethan retorted.

"That's not what I meant..." Cal was saying as they turned the corner.

"Oh Charlie - I can't believe it!"

Now that the brothers had gone, Connie let her emotions surface, "Those poor boys. After everything, they've now got this hanging over them."

Charlie took the seat vacated by Ethan shaking his head, "I know - it's just not fair. Do you know Ethan is treating a young man at the moment who had a fall? He's got Huntingtons - he's thirty five and already showing symptoms...that's what set Ethan off."

Connie looked shocked and sad, "No wonder - that's not much older than Ethan is now. Why didn't he get someone else to treat him?"

Charlie smiled, "I asked him but he insisted on treating him - you know what he's like."

Connie nodded her agreement, "You know Cal told me," Charlie carried on, "That when they opened their results, Ethan told their mum that he was clear so that she wouldn't know that it had been passed on."

"That must have been so hard for him, trying to make it seem that everything was ok. He's such a selfless young man," she felt a tear track down her cheek, "How's Cal holding up?"

"He's trying his best. He's really come on in the last year. He's adament about being there for his brother, and I think he will be as long as Ethan lets him."

"Well they are both going to need our support, so maybe once Ethan has told the rest of the staff, you could just have a word about being supportive but not to coddle him - we know that he doesn't like that."

After the two young doctors left Connie's office, they stopped for a quick drink in the staff room, "You feeling better?" Cal asked anxiously.

Ethan managed a small smile, "Yes a bit. It actually felt better after telling Mrs Beauchamp," he admitted.

Cal patted his arm, "I'm proud of you buddy - that took guts."

"I don't know about that, but it's done now," he replied as he grabbed a marker pen and wrote on the board, PUB TONIGHT - EVERYONE INVITED - FIRST ROUND IS ON ETHAN.

"First round on you eh? Count me in," Cal chuckled.

 **Leaving that one there. I think it's a bit long and a bit dull - I hope I'm wrong.**

 **Next chapter is the last one (not bad for a oneshot) and I'm hoping to fit in a bit of Rich and John talking with our boys (I need to think about that as I want to do it justice) plus the reveal to the rest of the staff.**

 **If you have any ideas, please feel free to mention them to me - I'm always happy to get some more ideas.**

 **Til next time.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you so much for all your kind words - I hope you know just how much they mean to me.**

 **Seeing as Casualty isn't on tonight, I'm writing another chapter to get my Cal/Ethan fix. I hope its ok.**

 **This was supposed to be up last night but my computer decided to play up so I've borrowed my sons – hence the rugby talk.**

 **A Family's Love - Chapter 3**

Ethan exited the staff room, closely followed by his brother, when he saw his patient arriving back from CT.

Once John and Rich were situated in cubicles, Ethan joined them with his tablet, awaiting the CT results.

"How are you feeling John?" Ethan asked, as he glanced at his tablet.

"I feel ok, can I leave now?" John asked squirming impatiently on his bed.

"Stop John," Rich looked at him pointedly, "I know you hate hospitals but you have to make sure that there isn't any long term damage," the older man said, his face pinched with worry.

John huffed audibly, but he didn't argue.

An alarm alerted Ethan to the results of his tests. He looked at them carefully, nibbling at the side of his cheek as the read them.

He quickly looked up seeing the two brothers looking at him expectedly, "Well, I have the results and everything seems absolutely fine. No head injury. Your shoulder and legs will be sore for a while, so if you just take your usual painkillers that should be fine. You need to rest and if there are any problems then you can see your GP..."

"Dr Hardy, can I ask you a question?" John enquired.

"Of course, anything."

"Do you know someone with Huntingtons?"

Ethan shuddered involuntarily, "Why do you ask?"

"You won't look me in the eye for starters. You seem incredibly uncomfortable around me..."

On hearing his brother's question and watching the young doctor's reaction to it, Rich stepped forward, angry that a member of the health service, who was supposed to be helping his brother, would treat him in such a way.

"What's going on?" he demanded, taking another step towards the awkward doctor.

"I...I...don't..." Ethan stammered, at a loss.

Cal, who had been reading a file at the nurses station, suddenly looked up. Something had made him look up - his brotherly instincts on heightened alert. He noticed the older brother of Ethan's patient almost getting up in his brother's face.

He abandoned the file and dashed over to the cubicle, "Dr Hardy, is everything alright in here?"

Ethan looked at him with shocked eyes, "Erm, yes - I think so..."

"Would you be so good as to step away from Dr Hardy please," Cal asked Rich, as politely as he could in the current circumstances.

Rich looked towards Ethan and John, and seeing that his brother didn't seem in any distress, he moved away from Ethan, throwing a dirty look Cal's way.

"I'm very sorry if that's what you thought John," Ethan said sincerely, "But yes, my brother and I recently lost our mother, who had Huntingtons..." he trailed off as a lump formed in his throat.

"I'm sorry to hear that," John told him, "That must have been hard."

"Yes it was. But what made it harder was that we had only knew her for a few months - you see we only found out a couple of months ago that we were both adopted. We were taken away from our real mother because she had been deemed unfit to care for us, even at the beginning of her illness."

Cal watched his brother closely, looking for any signs of distress, while being surprised that he was sharing their story with someone.

"Then you and your brother did the test and you found out that you have it," John said finally, causing Ethan to almost drop his tablet in shock.

The young doctor found out that he couldn't speak at that moment, so he just nodded his head, unable to look at John once more.

"How long have you known?"

"Only a few weeks," Ethan told him, his stomach churning.

"So on a scale of 1-10 how furious are you that you have it?" John asked, watching the younger man curiously.

Ethan shook his head, "I haven't thought...I mean...nine and a half," he finished honestly.

"How many times have you asked yourself 'why me'? What have you ever done to deserve it?" John felt emotions welling up inside him as the weeks after his own diagnosis came into the forefront of his memories, "You feel like your life is over - how could you possibly live a 'normal' life now?"

Ethan nodded his head very slightly but all three men picked up on it.

"Have you ever wished that your brother had been the one to have it and not you?"

Ethan gasped at the blunt question, but couldn't deny the answer, "Yes, I have...but I don't really wish that at all," he admitted.

John looked at Cal, who was stood next to Rich, "You're his brother aren't you?"

Now it was Cal's turn to look shocked, "How did you know?"  
"The way your eyes keep darting in his direction - like you're checking he's alright. Also the look on your face is almost the exact same look that Rich had on his face for the first few months after my diagnosis."

Rich dropped his head slightly, his own memories coming back to haunt him, "I had never felt so guilty and so helpless in my life," he told Cal, who nodded his agreement.

"If I could take it away from Ethan I would do it in a heartbeat," Cal said aloud.

Ethan glanced at his brother, a lone tear streaking down his cheek, "I wouldn't want you to have it."

"And yet, you've spent time hating him because he doesn't have it and you do..."

Ethan looked shocked as did Cal, but not Rich.

John continued, "I love my brother more than anything, always have, and although I was so happy that he didn't have it, I hated his guts for a while because of that same reason. But then I realised that all that hate and denial wouldn't do me any good, it wouldn't change the fact that I had an incurable illness - so I made a conscious decision not to waste time on that and just use my time wisely. I've known for ten years and my symptoms are only just starting. You think your life is over? I can tell you that it isn't - use you time wisely. Don't shut people out - family, friends, they can all help you stay on track," he gasped out the last few words as his monologue had taken a lot out of him. Rich immediately moved closer to him, telling him, quietly, to get some rest.

"Look, if you want to stay for another hour or so, so that John can get some sleep, that's perfectly alright, we can sort out somewhere for him to rest," Cal told the concerned brother.

"Thank you I think that might be a good idea," Rich agreed, "Have you got a pen and some paper?" he asked.

Cal had an empty envelope in his pocket, so he passed it to Rich, who started scribbling, "Here are our mobile numbers," he explained, "In case either of you want to talk - after all, we've got an insight into both sides," he smiled as he handed the paper over.

Cal looked across at Ethan, who by now was looking exhausted, "You go and get a coffee Eth, I'll sort out John and Rich."

"Are you sure? Thanks, I could use something..." the younger man agreed.

Before he left, he took a step closer to the bed, "Thanks John, for the pep talk. Take care."

With one last glance at the two brothers, Ethan left the cubicle.

Ten minutes later, Cal appeared in the staff room to find Ethan perched on a stool, staring blankly into an empty coffee cup.

"You already finished?"

"Huh?" Ethan looked surprised to see his brother there.

"You ok? Only you're staring into that coffee cup and there's nothing in it."

Ethan looked at the cup as if he hadn't realised that he was holding it, "Oh err...I must have drunk it."

"Yeah or not even made one in the first place..." Cal chuckled, "So, Rich and John seemed to have a handle on things..."

"Yeah," was all Ethan offered.

Cal sighed. It seemed his brother had already slipped back into his old ways.

Cal decided to start getting changed as their shift had ended, mentally going over everything that had happened today - surprised and proud about how well his little brother had coped.

Before long the staff room filled up with all the usual suspects and the once quiet room started to sound more like a school playground.

Ethan stayed seated, still staring into the empty cup, mulling over the day. He had to admit that he felt a bit better after talking about it a few times and although John wasn't very much older than he was and was showing symptoms already, Ethan had felt more able to cope after being allowed to admit how he had been really feeling over the last few weeks. He glanced up and realising that everyone that he wanted to tell was in the same room as his, "Ahem," he said quite loudly to get everyones attention.

Suddenly the conversations stopped and all eyes were on Ethan, "I have something that I need to tell you..."

His palms were clammy his heart was pounding like a drum as he turned slightly to see where Cal was. Cal, sensing that Ethan needed some moral support, immediately stood up next to him, ready to help if needed.

"Let me guess - you're pregnant!" Jacob burst out, causing hysterical laughter through the staff room.

Ethan smiled indulgently, "If only it was that easy," he mumbled, causing some to stop laughing and pay attention.

"I think most of you know about our mother, our real mother, whom we found a few months ago - who died the other week. What most of you probably didn't notice was that she had Huntingtons. Cal and I have had the test done and...well...it turns out that I have the gene," his eyes filled up once more when he felt Cal's arm around his shoulders.

"So you're saying that you could develop Huntingtons?" Lily asked, her expression one of absolute horror.

"Yes that's what I'm saying. I'm alright at the moment, but obviously I don't know when the symptoms will show themselves," he tried to sound brave, but Cal knew different - he could hear the fear in his brother's voice.

Ethan sat stock still, dreading the reactions from the others, but to his relief and delight, they all accepted his admission vowing to do their very best to support him when he needed it.

The young doctor blew out a deep breath of relief, "Thank you all so much. I also need to apologise for my behaviour over the last few weeks - obviously there has been a lot going on in our lives and I haven't really handled it very well."

"You've handled yourself in a mature and professional manner Ethan, as always," Rita assured him as he nodded his thanks.

"Oh damn, I've left something at the nurses station - don't leave without me," Cal exclaimed, "Particularly as Ethan is buying the first round."

Everyone chuckled as he flew out of the door. Then attention turned back to Ethan who looked distressed, "Ethan sweetheart, what's wrong?" Rita asked as she slipped an arm around his shoulders.

"You mean apart from the incurable degenerative illness that I've got?" he retorted bitterly. He immediately regretted the words, "I'm sorry. There I go again."  
"It's perfectly normal to feel so angry Ethan," Charlie assured him.

"Just seems like I'm always angry Charlie," Ethan replied sadly.

His gaze flicked towards the door, then he turned back to his friends, "Will you watch out for Cal too please? He's tearing himself apart with guilt and although he's trying to cover it up, I'm sure that it's only a matter of time before it gets the better of him."

"Always thinking of others," Robyn smiled at him, "We will watch out for you both because we are a family, and a family's love will never be defeated."

 **So that's it. Not my best piece, but at least it's filled a hole left by Casualty tonight. Although for once, I don't mind missing it to watch the rugby - England Grand Slam whoop!**

 **Hope it's ok - til next time.**


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